DIY or hire a professional?

Do you want to revamp a room in your home or have a long list of small items you need repaired but never seem to get it done?

It can be difficult to balance everything in your life, work, family friends, so adding in home repairs too may just be too time consuming for you to complete any odd jobs. Why not make your life simpler by hiring someone to get the job done for you?

Another advantage of using a professional handyman services is they should work quickly to complete the job which means you will have a finished project instead of several smaller unfinished projects around the house.

Before you get anyone to carry out any jobs be clear of the costs:

Is it an hourly rate? If so, estimated time to get the project done.(Have a limit)

Is the quote for the whole project?

Are materials included or not?

Is 20% VAT to be added to the quote?

Can using a handyman service actually save you money?

If you are inexperienced at repairs yourself you may spend a great deal more than you planned just renting the specific tools you need to complete a project. Or like me you may also spend additional money putting right mistakes you have made as you go through the project! A handyman can plan for any contingencies and will have access to the tools he needs to get the job done quickly and professionally.

There are occasional horror stories about DIY projects gone horribly wrong or bad wiring causing a fire in the home. A professional will make sure that your job is done correctly and done to the correct specification. This means that your home can continue to be a safe and welcoming environment and you will not need to wonder if the wiring or plumbing job you did may go bad in the future. It is easier to relax knowing that the job was done correctly.

If you need any of the following work carried out:

Gas

Electrical

Plumbing

Make sure the person doing this type of work is:

Qualified

Registered

Covered by insurance

NEVER be embarrassed to see insurance certificates and evidence of qualifications – A professional tradesperson should be proud to show you proof, not upset at you for asking. If they become cross this could be a clue that something isn’t right!

Useful Resource

Everyone knows that an easy one or two hour job can quickly turn into a longer process, and the time estimate rarely includes the shopping and cleanup work involved. Give yourself the free time you deserve and weigh up the costs of “hiring” or going the “Do it yourself” route.

NOTE: If you have an elderly relative who needs upkeep on their home or if you are retired and you do not want to continuously do the repairs yourself hiring the service could really solve your problems. A good service professional is on call, and can quickly respond to your needs with an estimate of when they will arrive and how long the job will take. In addition to hiring someone for bigger jobs, it is a good idea to have someone ready to call on when you do have smaller repairs come up. Get to know your repair person well as you might have an emergency on a bank holiday.

Overall handyman services can make your life much easier. It is nice to find a “reliable local service” to where you live that you can call on for both big and small projects and repairs.

Looking before you need one will make it easier to find a good one without the pressure of an emergency repair making you choose the first name in the phone book!

Have you used any phone apps for design inspiration? I use (Houzz) amazing!?

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Peter has received many accreditation's including many from the Times Online. As founder of You Could Save (2005) , What Stationers (2007) and more recently, Peter Millikin (2018). Peter regularly helps consumers and national organisation ‘save money’. He believes that the only successful way to bring people together online is to provide an open marketplace where people can all work together in a friendly, unbiased environment. You can contact Peter Millikin either through his Google+ account or via his websites.